A group of about 1,000 Vaal University of Technology students residing in 50 communal residences in Vanderbijlpark, south of Johannesburg, are in limbo as they have been without electricity for a month because of a damaged transformer.
Students said this was affecting their school work as they are now learning remotely. Some landlords said this had left a deep hole in their pockets as they were now spending extra for gas stoves, solar panels and some had to hire generators.
Bafana Ngwenya, a third-year student in photography, said they were unable to write tests and had missed out on assignments.
“It has been a month and two weeks without electricity. Students find themselves spending money they don’t have on takeaways. We are unable to charge our gadgets and have to travel long distances for them to be charged, which places us at a risk of being robbed. S ome days we are unable to attend online classes,” he said.
A third-year electrical engineering student, who asked to remain anonymous, said they had to pay R20 to charge their gadgets.
“We have asked our landlords to reduce our rent, which is between R1,800 and R2,000, so that we can buy food, but they said it’s not possible. The Wi-Fi is also not working, meaning we have to buy mobile data. It’s better during the day because we can go to campus but it becomes difficult to study at night. We also bath with cold water in these chilly weather conditions,” he said.
A landlord, who asked to remain anonymous, said the Emfuleni local municipality had not provided any assurance with regards to the restoration of electricity in the area.
“Properties situated in Theo Wendy, Edwin Conroy, William Porter Street, Van Rensburg and Spaarman streets have been affected by this. Some landlords have installed solar panels, which are very costly. I house about 30 students and I resorted to hiring a generator, which is costing R200 per day and R500 for fuel per day. I have paid R24,000 so far,“ the landlord said.
Another landlord, Dorothea Ntshala, who houses 21 students, said she had not been able to pay her bond.
“Students are moving out and demanding their deposits, but at this stage we can’t afford to pay them back. We understand their frustration as they don’t have access to hot water and it’s a struggle for them to study, which is done online,” Ntshala said.
Emfuleni municipality spokesperson Makhosonke Sangweni confirmed that a transformer was damaged.
“The owners of student accommodations are not complying with by-laws, they are also not paying rates and taxes. They have illegally connected electricity. Currently, we are aware that their transformer is damaged. We are in a process of securing a new transformer,” he said.
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